Ten seconds passed but it felt like an hour. She was still waiting for a camera crew to spring up from behind the door and from another room, telling her that she’s on television. Telling her that it was all set up and none of it was real. Still, that wouldn’t explain how she couldn’t remember anything. The apartment remained quiet, and she only noticed that she’s been holding her breath since the man started explaining. Wait, she didn’t even know his name. Yet that’s the last thing she should be worried about. Her existence was illegal and she’s a cyborg? How was that an explanation?

“Please… tell me it’s all a joke.”

The man stared at her before turning away. “I wish it was a joke, too. But no, I’m afraid I have told you nothing but the truth.”

“How did this- how did all of these happen?”

“I don’t think you’re ready to listen to everything so I think it would be best for you to find out along the way.”

“What about my family...?”

The man kept silent, and she felt that she wouldn’t want to listen to the answer. Maybe that accident was the one that caused her to become like this and lose her family at once. Maybe. Everything was so surreal she still had that little hope it was a prank. The man only looked at her with a pitiful look, as if trying to tell her that it’s not her fault it’s this way, but it just happened to be.

“You still haven’t told me your name, by the way. If that could make me feel better… a bit.”

“Right… I’m Cha Eunwoo, or you can just call me Eunwoo. I don’t mind the honorifics so you can drop it.”

She realized that she still had a lot to learn about herself, and her age was one of the things on the list.

“How old am I anyway?”

He looked up, calculating the numbers. “20?”

Choi Haeun… 20 years old… woke up with no memories and nowhere else to go. Great. Perfect.

“It’s ridiculous when you think about it, but I assure you that this is the best for you. Until we can sort things out then maybe, you can, um, work at my restaurant? Just to make you feel as normal as you can get, but only if you want to. I’m not forcing you or anything, just in case you would feel better cooped up in your room. I respect your decision. Things are bound to work out, just give it time.”

Hearing the word restaurant, she couldn’t help but smile when she remembered the chaos through the call just now. “It’s your restaurant? I thought you would at most be the manager, I never thought you would own one. You look… young.”

He didn’t answer but spun around to face the door. “I’m going to the restaurant to help them open up. If you want to follow then I suggest you to get dressed up and I can introduce you to them. They might be a bit chaotic but they’re… lovely people.”

She didn’t need time to think about the decision; her heart was just telling her that it was the way to move forward. She felt eager to finally be able to do something, rather than questioning her existence or why she was there in the first place. Things were bound to work out, like Eunwoo said, and she would hold on to that. Busying herself might be the best solution to forget about the ridiculousness of the situation and knowing that she would see the outside world; maybe she could find some answers.

She held up a finger, pointing to the bedroom she woke up in. She motioned that she’s going to change and he nodded in acknowledgement. She closed the bedroom door and opened the wardrobe, finding a pair of black pants and a blouse comfortable. She guessed Eunwoo was the one who picked out the clothes, and she made a mental note to find something else that was more comfortable.

While Haeun busied herself with getting ready, Eunwoo was still standing at the entrance. He didn’t even have time to take off his coat when he arrived. He didn’t expect for Haeun to wake up that fast, and he was quite surprised when he saw her standing there, threatening him with a knife. He was confused himself, not knowing how to explain and